Airport tops list for on-time arrivals

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OAKLAND, CA - JULY 18: A US Airways taxis on the runway July 18, 2008 at the Oakland International Airport in Oakland, California. US Airways pilots and its dispatchers, who calculate fuel loads, are involved in a dispute that has pilots claiming that they are being pressured to fly with less fuel to cut costs as fuel prices continue to rise and cripple earnings. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Oakland International Airport ranked No. 1 for on-time arrivals among all North American airports last year, according to a group that tracks and compiles data about the airline industry.

FlightStats, which is based in Portland, Ore., says 86.9 percent of flights into Oakland in 2009 arrived at their gate within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival time. Cincinnati's airport ranked second with 84.46 percent of flights arriving on time. Newark finished last among the list of the 40 busiest North American airports, with only 65.37 percent of flights arriving on time.

San Francisco International Airport finished 34th, with 73.17 percent of flights arriving on time.

San Jose International Airport wasn't on the list because it's not one of the top 40 busiest airports. However, a FlightStats spokesman said San Jose's record was almost as good as Oakland's with, 85.24 percent of flights arriving on time. A FlightStats spokesman said that although San Jose isn't one of the top 40 busiest airports it ranks among the top 45 busiest.

Oakland airport spokeswoman Rosemary Barnes said an important reason it ranked first is that its weather is better than the weather at most other airports across the country and in the region.

Barnes said that when there's fog in the Bay Area, "Oakland has less chance of being impacted" than do the airports in San Francisco and San Jose.